Fun with Formats

[Rbrgr83]

Ok, I've run into a format snag.


My company uses a format which includes their title block , bom table, etc. I have been working on a set of drawings for a few weeks and I noticed last week that the format being applied to them had changed from our format to the ProE generic D-Size format.

I shurged because I knew I could replace the format, but I would have to re-assign all of my bom balloons. So I did this yesterday, took me about an hour, and saved all of the drawings after I updated the format. When I opened one up this morning, it had reverted to the generic D-size again. I checked the other drawings, and low and behold they had all changed back.

SO:
-What is causing the formats to change, and then rechange after I have set them to something else?
-Is there a way to swap formats w/o losing my bom balloons?


The only thing I can think of is the fact that I am working in my own directory, and the format file is in the default working directory

 

[ehorton]

Most likely you are right. Save the format into the directory you are working in and it should be able to always read it to bring it in. About the balloons, I'm not sure. We have to bring a separate table and then balloon the drawing.

 

[Rbrgr83]

Yeah, this ended up working.


Kinda sucks, but oh well. At least I don't have to redo all those damn balloons again.


Thanks!

 

[dr_gallup]

Most likely you are right. Save the format into the directory you are working in and it should be able to always read it to bring it in. About the balloons, I'm not sure. We have to bring a separate table and then balloon the drawing.

NO NO NO

Set the config.pro option pro_format_dir correctly so Pro/E always finds your company formats. If you start copying formats all over the place then it is impossible to control format updates. If you open a drawing and Pro/E can not find the format, quit out of the drawing without saving and erase it from memory (erase/not displayed). Fix the problem with the format path and open the drawing again. All will be well. If you save the drawing with the format missing then you have to do all the extra work to add it back in.

 

[ehorton]

Sorry dr_gallup. You are correct about doing it that way. But I'm used to using Intralink which will bring the format into your workspace when you check out the drawing. And then it will show if it is out of date when it has been updated. And you can simply update it without the drawing in memory and it will reflect the updated format once you open it again.

 

[Rbrgr83]

Thanks Gallup


I knew there was a way to point it to a standard set of user defined formats w/o copying them to and fro. Nice save.

 

[dr_gallup]

Sorry dr_gallup. You are correct about doing it that way. But I'm used to using Intralink which will bring the format into your workspace when you check out the drawing. And then it will show if it is out of date when it has been updated. And you can simply update it without the drawing in memory and it will reflect the updated format once you open it again.

Yeah, you need a completely different set of work habits with and without a PDM system. Most of the time the people with these really basic problems are not using a PDM system or they wouldn't have these problems in the first place.

 

[magneplanar]

Rbrgr83,

in the event you already mixed up your drawing file (or any file), if you delete the last version, your previous version of the drawing might still be ok. You can check this by choosing to "show all revisions". When you open the file, you can open a previous version to make sure it is still ok. You could then choose to delete the current version in the open window or do it manually in the folder itself.

If you use a purge you may not have the earlier versions...

cheers,

M